Borrowed time runs out.

When you adopt an adult pet, the moment they're yours, you're immediately buying time.  An eleven year old Maltese might have another 5 years in him.  Six, if you're lucky and can afford trips to the Pet ER.

This is the table you're invited to sit down at when you adopt any animal.  Your new host will let other guests come and take a little bit with them if they leave.  Such is the greed of Illness and Accidents.  Sometimes Lost comes to take your host from the table for a while, but hopefully not for long and not meeting with Accidents on the way home.

Yet, at some point you will have to leave the table yourself, and it's a hard, sad goodbye.

Yesterday I said my goodbyes to Lester.  He was my sweet, sweet boy, and I won't ever forget him as long as I live.

Happy Things - January times

Alright, let's just dive right back in here with a Happy Things list!

new bed frames.
clean sheets.
smelly candles [but only cinnamon, vanilla, or eucalpytus spearmint.] [maybe sometimes gingerbread.] [chocolate is nice, too.]
Robots.
snowman pencils.
wild hair.
small children that shake hands when being introduced.
calvin and hobbes.
brand new journals. [I have a journal problem.]
my dog. [he's been huddling into a nest on my bed every morning when I leave for work.]
herd immunity. [whatever, you all knew I was a nerd.]
ramen noodles.
my kindle.
my family.
my friends.
cherry coke.
yoga.
sweet-tea flavored vodka.
new tattoos:

science.
you all. <3

Happy Things - February edition.

Wot is making me happy, in no particular order:

• Dinosaurs. All of them. [Except Raptors cos that shit ain't no joke.]
• Shaun White. [I want to invite him to a party and then maybe make out a little bit, but not in front of anyone because I am a Lady.]
• Space.
• Noodles.
• Navel oranges.
• The Doctor.
• Mascara.
• Sleep.
• Paris:

• People who apologize profusely when they step on your toe in the elevator.
• The letter Q. quandary, quilt, quiescent, quirky, quixotic, quaint.
• People to worry about.
• Chopsticks.
• My dog.

File your entries in the comment box provided. ♥

And never brought to mind...

Insert obligatory year-end reflection post:

So, 2009 kind of rocked. And it kind of blew. Which is, really, what I like to see in a year. I don't like all ups, because that means there will be too many downs later. I like a good mix.

A recap:

Lester went through his first bout of congestive heart failure, and gave me a few grey hairs in the process. Emergencies never occur at two o'clock in the afternoon on a Saturday, y'all. It's always four in the morning when you stayed up too late to watch random crappy videos on the internet the night before.

Anyway, then he got better, or at least we figured out how to keep him sailing on in his little furry body.

My pal Penny came to town from Seattle to see our intrepid Commander in Chief step into office, and we had a fantastic week kicking around. I ate a million pounds of Pocky.

Then I went and visited my sister and brother-in-law in Portland. I had the most marvelous time kicking around in one of the nicest cities on the planet. Like, really nice. Like, if Baltimore and Los Angeles got into a fight, Portland would be around to make sure we didn't kill each other and maybe make us cookies afterward. It was delightful.

Watchmen disappointed me, but it's cool. I forgive you, Watchmen. You were a good movie and all, but I'll take the book any day.

I met a dude, and we dated for a bit, and then we weren't dating anymore, and it's all gravy. It was basically the most casual thing in the world, and we're both so laid back that it was pretty much just one day we were hanging out and then another we were seeing other people. Easy peasy.

H1N1 hit, and my work life got CRAZY. I worked some overtime, and made cookies [that's how I cope] and I tried to keep my nurses sane. We got through it, obvs.

Then I had a birthday! It was lots and lots of fun, and my Dad and I spent that weekend driving all over Maryland for blacksmithing adventures. A delightful time was had by all.

My cousin got married! I had a quarter-life crisis! The world continued to spin unaided!

AND THEN SILAS WAS BORN. He is the cutest little blob of human that was EVER CREATED. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH I CANNOT STAND IT. I get to babysit for him on Saturday, y'all, and I cannot WAIT.

I had some strange dreams and went on Vacation. Garrett County is GORGEOUS, y'all, and I recommend it for a relaxing time away from reality. I WAS ON A BOAT.

Lester had an episode, but he's fine now, too. I guess I'll be on the lookout for those every six months or so. Crazy dog.

I did a guest post on Zaftig Chicks! My site traffic increased by maybe two people! Wooo!

And then Ina died, and it still kind of sneaks up on me every once in a while. I'll listen to a song that we used to love, or someone will say something that reminds me of her so much that I sort of space out and lose it for a minute. There's nothing in the world that can prepare you for something like that.

So, autumn kind of blew through in a haze of grief and sourness. I really tried not to be down, but when patients at work are insane and you're working long hours and the sun is steadily creeping away, it's tough.

And then Jesse and I helped that lady on the street, and things kind of... lifted. Maybe it was the rush of endorphins, or the knowledge that I did something right, or learning that there are other people in this messed up, glorious city that will stop what they are doing and pick you up off the sidewalk.

Whatever it was, I felt right again. I'm back in my own skin.

Then it snowed. A LOT. I hate snow. Then it melted, and then snowed this morning again, and I have a PARTY TONIGHT, dammit, and I refuse to kow-tow to the weather. IMMA PUT ON A FANCY DRESS AND LIVE IT UP.

So there.

Christmas was wonderful - I got to see my sister again and I missed her so much you have no idea. I got fabulous new toys [ipod touch omg omg omg] and drank some nog, and things are okay.

Tonight is going to be fantastic, and that's just all there is to it.

I love you, Baltimore. The world is great, too, but Baltimore has my heart forever.

<3

blah blah twitter blah blah.

I want to blog, but I don't want to complain about my bad day, which is all I can think of to blog right now, so I'll just paste all of my tweets from the month of November instead. All I took out were my replies.

Oh, and I have no idea how to put this behind a cut. You're welcome. [eta: I totes figured out jumps, so you're welcome AGAIN.]

My morning, let me show you it.

Lester woke me up this morning about... 4:45? Ish? He was coughing, and as he's got a history of Congestive Heart Failure, I jumped up and gave him an extra dose of his diuretic. We settled down again for a little while to let that get to work, maybe fifteen minutes, and then we went outside.

So, I step outside, and Lester goes off to make his rounds [base of porch stairs, neighbors cactus plant, edge of yard, tree, round the corner to the back yard] when some movement across the street catches my eye. I am hyper-aware at this point because it is 5AM and all sorts of nonsense can happen at 5AM, see.

WELL, THERE WAS NONSENSE GOING ON IN A CAR. There were two people in there, doing UNSPEAKABLE THINGS. And I'm not talking satanic baby-eating rituals. Well, one of them was eating something, but THAT IS NOT THE POINT. If you can't do it in a BED at FIVE IN THE MORNING, you probably shouldn't be doing it. Unless you're super-into kinky car sex, and then well, bon chance to you, friend. Good luck with the public lewdness.

Anyway, they got interrupted when two dudes strolled down the sidewalk on their side of the street, and they did a HILARIOUS impression of nonchalance. Then they stuck around for a few more minutes, presumably to right clothing and whatnot, and then took off.

Meanwhile, back at camp, Lester was done doing his business and we went back inside. Tried going back to bed for a bit, but he kept coughing, so I made an Executive Decision and took him up to Falls Road Animal Hospital, since it's the only one open at FIVE IN THE MORNING.

Got there [after getting turned around TWICE], they fussed over his cuteness appropriately, and did some diagnostic Stuff. I sat around and read my Regency Romance novel, and tried not to fret too hard.

The vet came back in and said basically, "Yep, he's old."

So, he got his Lasix upped, and added a new heart med [which I am having trouble finding online...], and we'll just see how he does with that. I'll make an appointment to see his real vet tomorrow afternoon. He's quiet a nice dog, and I hope they'll let me keep him a while longer.

<3

Freud's got nothin' on me...

I dreamed last night that I was at my parents’ church and that I really wanted to paint my nails bright lime green, but so did everyone else. And while they were all fighting over a bottle of nail polish, I found another one under a pew [I don't know, either].

So, I sat there and happily painted my fingers and toes, and then Adam Savage from Mythbusters came up and asked me to go to a birthday party for a kid who used to be in my church youth-group when I was in middle school. I said sure and we headed out to the car. Along the way, we found Jamie Hyneman, and he was carrying a blow-torch [natch] and we all piled into my Jetta and took off. I turned around to say something over my shoulder to Jamie, and I saw that Tory Belleci had found his way into the car, too. So I made a crack about how this day was going to turn out completely awesome, and Tory got all excited and held out his hand for a high-five from Jamie. Jamie sort of ruffled his mustache and Tory was like, "All right!"

So, we make it back to my parents house and end up swimming through the door because their house was filled with water. It was apparently completely normal, and my dog was floating along in a giant shoe.

Jamie busted out the blow-torch again, and we all started welding a space-ship in my old bedroom.

Then I woke up because I had fallen asleep watching Stargate SG-1 and Teal'c and Cam were busting their way out of a Ha’tak.

Hi. I'm a nerd.

Also, I swear that this wasn't me.

Duh.

I figured out my confusion re: having lester. I will have lived in Baltimore for four years this June. So, Balmer = four years, Lester = three.

Good times.

Dinner tonight at the Golden West Cafe in Hampden. I have not been there in a v. long time - not since my mom and sister were visiting me, and they took hours and hours to get served. Let's hope it's a nicer experience this time. They've had about two years to shape up.

:D

three years

Every year, on February 14th, I celebrate having Lester for another year. This year marked three! I love my little guy, and I can't imagine life without him. He's my furry soul-mate.

Lester through the years...

first photo!


one year!


two years!


three years!


and I am now sort of confused. because I THOUGHT that I've had him for four years, but going back through old livejournal entries, it seems that I've only had him for three years. AM I GOING CRAZY? Who knows.

Anyway, he's still around and I love him to bits and little pieces. YAYE LESTAH.

The Oregon trail and other various and sundry.

Back from Portland! Had a delicious time with my sister and brother-in-law. The Chinese Gardens are FANTASTIC and I just wish they were bigger so I could have stayed longer and not looked like a crazy stalker. The weather was lovely, even if it snowed twice. Not too much rain, not too much fog. Crisp air. *happy sigh*

Here are some photos from our various excursions.

Bought several books at Powell's for super-cheap and I wish we had one here in Baltimore. Best. Store. Ever. Am currently plowing through the Wrinkle in Time series by Madeline L'Engle. HOW DID I MISS THESE BEFORE. I suppose half the joy of being an adult is the ability to go back and find things.

In other news: the sky is pooping out very pathetic snow. Not even snow, really. Moisture that has a tendency to be snow.

I don't really enjoy inclement weather, unless it's a thunderstorm in the middle of the summer. THAT is weather I can get happy about.

Anyway. Lester is doing extremely well, the little stinker. I feel like I shouldn't get all worked up when his body does something untoward, because he's sort of a miracle dog, and things always work out just fine in the end. Snaps his ACL? doesn't even limp. Congestive heart failure? He just pees it out.

I love my dog. He smells like Christmas right now, because I've been using this Natural flea and tick medicine that uses peppermint oil as its main ingredient. Delightful.

LALALA work happy hour tonight. Now that I don't drive to work, these little outings are much more enjoyable. :D

Happy Tuesday, y'all.

back from the brink?

So! A lot has happened since my last, morose post. Lester is doing SO much better, I can hardly believe my eyes. He has full energy, his appetite is voracious, and he's peeing like a racehorse. these are all good signs! it looks like my little guy is going to be with me for a while longer. something that i am so unbelievably grateful for.

thank you all SO MUCH for all your kind words and thoughts. knowing that i had such a fantastic group of people rooting for us made the whole ordeal that much more manageable.

i love y'all. thank you thank you thank you.

Lester Blanchard

Lester went into congestive heart failure Saturday morning. He woke me up about 4 with a persistent dry, hacking cough. When he refused water and didn't settle down by 4:45, I started to suspect CHF and took him to the Falls Road Animal Hospital. Once there, they had difficulty listening to his heart, took x-rays and confirmed he had fluid in his chest.

To avoid going in to debt for multiple thousands of dollars, I've decided to take the "make him comfortable" route. They gave him a hefty shot of Lasix, and I'll be giving him some orally for a few days to try to clear out the fluid.

So far, so good. Outwardly, he's not behaving any differently, he didn't even cough much during the weekend after starting the diuretic, but he's certainly peeing a lot.

I'm at peace with this decision. If he was seven instead of fourteen, circumstances might be different, but, as my father put it, he's basically a 95 year old man. So while I can't imagine being without him, I know that the time will come soon, and I think I've given him a pretty good life these last four years.

Please keep us in your thoughts.

dog day.

jeff from across the street called me just as i was leaving work, asking if i wanted to go to the dog park at wyman. he was taking his roommates dog, misty, and lord knows lester needs to get out more.

so we went! it is a delightful park! we ran into an old roommate of his, who's got a FANTASTIC german shepherd rescue called Shadow. there was a hilarious little corgie zooming around who looked exactly like a bullet on her little short leggies. and there was the biggest german shepherd i have EVER SEEN. came up to mid thigh on me, and was just solid and huge. sweetest temperament, too. he knew how to play with the little ones really well, and was sweet to lester.

lester was less than impressed, but i think it did him some good on the whole, so we'll be going back for sure.

then, later, i walked down to the grocery store with michael and his jack russell terrier, finrod. finrod is a special boy, alright. he's SUPER happy to meet you, and he just LOVES you so much can he PLEASE eat yer face omg omg omg omg.

i came home and lester looked at me suspiciously before deigning to lick my foot. he's zonked out now, curled up inside a pair of my jeans.

i love dogs.